Reds All Over Europe: Scandanavia July '98.

Monday 27th July: Randers Freja in Denmark. The town of Randers is situated between the better known towns of Arhus and Alborg on the E3 road in the north of Jutland - the Danish mainland. If you are flying then it's probably best to take a train or bus to Randers as an internal connection between Copenhagen and Alborg airports is an uncomfortable and expensive jaunt. BA also fly to the mainland (possibly Aalborg) so check with them for details. fare from Manchester to Copenhagen is around £180-£200. The bus via road and ferry to Randers takes over 4hrs, but will be a lot cheaper than a flight in a twin-prop! Train from Aalborg to Randers takes under an hour. Match tickets: Liverpool have a large following in Denmark so you might have trouble getting in. The Danish Fan Club have organised tickets for their members in one separate stand. If you go on spec you'll probably end up mixing with Randers fans - but there'll be little or no bother, Danish fans are notoriously friendly. Email the LFC fan club in Denmark < LFC Danish Fan Club > for details and assistance.

Danish Fan club's player of the year 1997-98, St Michael. (Photo courtesy of E.Baldorf)

Danish currency is the KRONE (plural KRONER) and there's about 11kr to the £1. If you change £s for kr in Denmark be aware that there's a flat rate 25kr charge: so change all your money at the bank in one go rather than several small exchanges. Travel to Randers via the Danish state railways (DSB) - tickets are heavily subsidised and no single journey should cost more than 250kr. Tickets MUST be bought before you travel and reservations are compulsory. There's no discount for returns. So estimate return railfare from Copenhagen to Randers at around £40 (includes ferry links etc.).

Beer is relatively expensive, around £3 a pint. BUT you will be drinking some of Europe's better brews. Carlsberg and Tuborg namely, both better than you can get over here. In any bar just drop Jan Molby's name into the conversation and I'm sure someone will buy you a bevvy. (Jan played for Jutland side IF Kolding, by the way) Accommodation is cheaper than in the rest of Scandanavia and hostels etc. are very clean and comfortable The City Public Hostel in Copenhagen (Absalonsgade 8 Tel. 312 070) is 10 mins walk from the train station and beds can be had for under a tenner. Also try: Missionhotellet (Nebo Istedgade 6 Tel. 211 217) Mid-price hotel in the centre of Copenhagen with English speaking owners. You should get a room here for around £20-£25. The Main Tourist Office is next to the train station and should be able to help you find a hotel (Bernstorffsgarde 1 Tel. 111 325) open 9am-5pm or til 2pm on Saturdays.

Essential lingo: Hello : 'God dag', Yes : 'Ja' , No : 'Na' , Two Beers Please : 'To øl, tak'.

Randers map:

And everything you could possibly wish to know ....(Courtesy of Erling Baldorf, a Danish Red)

Randers Freja F.C. vs. Liverpool F.C.

July 27th at 19:00 CET at the Randers Stadium.

As part of the 100th anniversary celebrations of Freja, Liverpool FC will play an exhibition match against Freja. McManaman, Ince, Fowler (No! Ed.), Berger (? Ed) and Owen - Liverpool will bring forward their big guns, and as Freja FC, strength-wise, can't match this team on their own they will bring in reinforcements from Broendby IF, with names such as Ebbe Sand, Jesper Thygesen, Mogens Krogh, Soren Krogh and Jens Risager joining in. (Source: Randers Amtsavis, March 12th).

Freja FC: Founded Nov. 6th 1898. Address: Viborgvej 92A, 8900 Randers. Tel: +45 86 42 27 41 Fax: +45 86 42 64 66 This year Randers played in the Danish 2nd division, but next year ...??? Colours: Blue & White striped shirts, blue shorts and blue stockings. Championships: None! League record: 2nd in 1st Division in 1918 and 1973. Danish Cup winners: 1967, 68 and 73. ECWC record: Played 10, Won 4, Draw 1, Lost 5. Goals: 16-15. UEFA Cup record: Played 2, Draw 2. Goals: 1-1. Most Caps: 75 for Per Roentved (former captain of Danish national team).

Stadium: Randers Stadium, entrance at Randershallen (Sjaellandsgade, where there is good parking as well as the clubhouse). Tel: +45 86 42 19 50 Capacity: 20,000 (over 1,000 seats). Record attendance: 16,000 Randers Freja vs AGF (1952).

Match tickets: Seats 150Kr (SOLD OUT!), Standing (covered: 110Kr, uncovered: 80Kr, children (<12): 30Kr). Advance booking Tel: +45 86 42 27 41 and +45 86 42 21 22. Booking fee: 10Kr (about £1).

The next game is in Oslo, two days later. You can take a ferry from Frederikshavn in the north of Jutland to Oslo. To get to Frederikshavn: take the E45 north through Alborg and onto the coast. As you pass by Alborg airport - see if there are any flights to Oslo (probable cost is £100 one way!). Ferry from Copenhagen to Oslo is about £70!!

Wednesday 29th July: BK Rosenborg in Oslo. (Details to follow). Tickets for this game will be sold on a telephone line in Norway (0047) 815 491 33 from Monday 8th June. They'll cost from NOK 150 (about £12) to NOK 200 (£16). More tickets will be on sale on 1st of July costing NOK 250 (£20). Rosenborg actually hail from Trondheim in the north of the country so expect all the local support to be Liverpool's.

(Can anyone send us any more details re. tickets and travel? - <red_all_over@oocities.com> If there's anyone left over there in the Norwegian SC (are you ALL in France?) can you get in touch and give us some info about the match?).